Rainbow Spring Rolls

Sometimes great summer cooking involves no actual cooking.  These Vietnamese Rainbow Spring Rolls are a fresh and satisfying summer dish filled with colorful, crunchy vegetables, avocado and herbs. All you need is a sharp knife to transform the ingredients.

I discovered raw spring rolls on my trip to Vietnam a few years ago. Usually they came with 2 types of sauces; a light and spicy Asian dipping sauce and a rich peanut sauce.  I enjoy the variety.

I have provided 2 sauces for this recipe. One is a rich almond butter sauce the other a light Asian dipping sauce. Choose one or both.  Usually I make only one sauce unless I am preparing a larger batch of spring rolls for a group of guests.

Prepare your sauce first to let the flavors develop while you cut the vegetables.

Since the thin rice paper wrappers allow the colorful vegetables to shine through, I use a variety of  colored vegetables to create a beautiful rainbow.

When sliced super thin the raw yellow beets and red radishes become surprisingly pliable and supple enough to fold into the roll with purple cabbage, orange carrots, green sunflowers sprouts and lettuce.  I add avocado for creaminess and basil for an herbal flavor.

Cutting vegetables helps focus your mind. You slow down and put your attention into the simple act that nourishes your spirit.  You can use a mandoline to make it easier.

I always thought making spring rolls would be hard but one I did it I discovered it was surprisingly easy, not much more difficult that making a salad.  Once you have the vegetables cut up you are ready to roll.

The spring roll rice wrappers are available in many health food stores or Asian markets. You can also buy them online here.

Fill a large bowl with hot water. Soak 1 rice paper at a time in the water for 20 seconds until just pliable.  Don’t let it get too soft.  Spread it on a work surface.  Put some of the beets, cabbage, sprouts, lettuce, avocado and basil in the middle leaving about 1 1/2 inches on the side.  Fold the sides inward and tightly roll the wrapper up around the filling.

When laying out the vegetables, layer different ones on the bottom to give variety in their appearance.

The first one you roll may not be perfect, don’t worry, once you get the hang of it they come out beautifully.  Be sure to spread the vegetables out wide enough so your spring rolls are about 3 1/2 inches wide after they are rolled up. The rice paper is sticky enough to hold together once rolled.

Serve the rolls with one or both dipping sauces.

As you make your Raw Rainbow Spring Rolls….

Be grateful, slow down and enjoy life.

Raw Rainbow Spring Rolls

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Raw Rainbow Spring Rolls are a fresh and satisfying summer dish filled with colorful, crunchy vegetables, avocado and herbs.

• Author: Ingrid DeHart - EatWellEnjoyLife.com
• Prep Time: 20
• Total Time: 20
• Yield: 12 rolls 4 servings 1x
• Category: Vegan, Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free
• Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

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Asian ‘Peanut’ Sauce:

• ½ cup almond butter
• 3 tablespoons wheat free soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1–2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1 serrano chili or thai chili, stemmed and thinly sliced (optional)

Asian Dipping Sauce

• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons wheat free soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 serrano chile, stemmed and very thinly sliced (optional)

Vegetable Rolls

• 1 baby candy cane beet or yellow beet, scrubbed and very thinly sliced
• 2 radishes, very thinly sliced
• 2 large carrots, julienned or shredded
• 2 cups purple cabbage, very thinly sliced
• 1 ½ cups sunflower sprouts or other sprouts
• 4 lettuce leaves, torn
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 24 small basil leaves
• 12 Vietnamese spring roll rice wrappers

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Instructions

Asian ‘Peanut’ Sauce

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth, transfer to a serving dish.

Asian Dipping Sauce

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and transfer to a serving dish.

Vegetable Rolls

1. Prepare the vegetables. Slice the beets and radishes very thin (a mandoline is very helpful here).
2. Julienne the carrots, thinly slice the cabbage, tear the lettuce and thinly slice the avocado. Put all the vegetables into separate bowls.
3. Fill a large shallow bowl with hot water.
4. Soak 1 rice paper wrapper at a time in the water for 20 seconds until just pliable.
5. Spread on a work surface. Put some of the beets, cabbage, sprouts, lettuce, avocado and basil in the middle.
6. Fold the sides inward and tightly roll the wrapper up round the filling.
7. Serve with rolls with the dipping sauce.

Notes

When laying out the vegetables, layer different ones on the bottom to give variety in the appearance.

Optional: Add 1 cup shredded chicken or 12 shrimp sliced in half horizontally for additional protein.

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